Advice

It's hard to believe the semester is already over, and I'm writing my final blog post. My advice to the upcoming Business 304 class is this- if you want to do well in this class you will. Angie is a really great teacher because she is always willing to help you and genuinely wants her students to do well in her class. So if you have any questions about anything definitely ask her. She gives you the opportunity to get her feedback on your assignments before she gives you a grade on them, which not only helps your grade but also helps you learn how to do things the right way. I would also make sure you get a good group for your group project. Angie gives you a chance to "speed date" other people in your class so take advantage of it. I know our class had some problems with group members, but our group pulled together and was able to work well with each other. This really makes the project so much easier; I couldn't imagine doing it if everyone in my group was a slacker. Our group found that the project ran a lot smoother if only one of the members was contacting the client directly, so the client was flooded with emails and could make a personal bond with that person. Also if at all possible try to get someone in your group who is computer savvy. That was a big help when we were forming our proposal. Good luck and enjoy the class. You will definitely learn a lot about the business world, and I really enjoyed the course.

Christmas

Since this week is a free blog topic I thought I'd talk about Christmas...since the holiday season is right around the corner. My favorite Christmas tradition is baking cookies. Every year we give cookies to all our neighbors for presents so we end up baking a ton of different kinds. I especially like making M&M ones because I have a really good recipe from my Aunt, and they're so delicious. I also really enjoy Christmas because you get to listen to fun holiday music and watch Christmassy movies. Surprisingly Hanson has one of the best CDs. It's really upbeat and jazzy. I also like Christina Aguliera's CD because she has an awesome voice. I think my all time favorite Christmas movie is Home Alone although I do really lie Elf and It's a Wonderful Life too. So basically I'm really excited for Christmas, it makes exam time seem a little less awful.

Employers Study Applicants' Personalities

I was really intrigued by the article "Employers Study Applicants' Personalities." In the present day, applicants are not only judged by their skill but by their ability to get along with the rest of the employees. In fact in some companies being personable is viewed as more important than being qualified for the job. After reading the article, I realized that personality does have a big influence on the working environment and overall chi of the workplace. So I do applaud some of the actions that are being taken to assess the person's character and make sure they are a good fit for the company. I certainly would not want to work with anyone who is mean-spirited, boastful, or always in a bad mood no matter how qualified or smart they were. I do think some companies may be taking this notion too far though and that they need to keep in mind that a person's qualifications should play a big part in the hiring process as well. Some of the businesses described in the article seemed like they were more interested in finding a new friend than a new employee.

Dual Coding Theory

I really enjoyed learning about the Dual Coding Theory in class. It was something that I've never heard of before but when it was described it made a lot of sense. The theory basically states that tying images together with words allows you to remember the idea/experience better. I think the Geico commercials do a good job of using this theory and a creating memorable ad. They use the gecko animal as sort of a Geico mascot because their names sound very similar. So it's easy for the viewer to associate the image gecko with the name Geico. Also their commercials are funny and often times bizarre. In one commercial the gecko appears on a talk show. In another one they talk about the Beverly Hillbillies and say that the reason they became instant millionaires was because they switched to Geico car insurance.

Mock Interview

Interviews are an extremely important part of the job application process, so it was very beneficial to be able to do a "mock interview" for this class. Interviews give the employer a chance to see the personality of the applicant as well as their ability to think on their feet. They are a one time opportunity to make a favorable impression on the interviewer and can either make or break your chance of getting hired.

Having a mock interview not only gave me the chance to practice my interview skills but also provided me with feedback with ways to improve and things that I was doing well. This was really helpful because you do not get this kind of feedback when you are doing real interviews.

Even though this was just a pretend situation, I still got nervous beforehand! I think the interview went well though, and I was very appreciative of Angie's comments. One thing I realized I need to work on is to really prepare myself for the interview. I often go with the mindset to just be myself and that I'll be able to "wing it", but in order to have a good interview I do think you need to be prepared for the kinds of questions the employer is going to ask you as well as be up to date with information on the company.

Fall Break

I have not had a chance to do my interview yet, so this week I decided to write about my fall break. I went to Asheville, NC with my mom for the first time. It's a really cool city, only about 2 hours away from Clemson, but it is completely different. It's very artsy with a lot of cafes, unique boutiques, and stores. The architecture there is beautiful, they have a lot of old historic neighborhoods and buildings. We also got a chance to tour the Biltmore which is so huge it looks like a castle. There's a 3 mile driveway from the entrance to the actual house, and it's very scenic with trees and streams all around it. Overall it was a great fall break, nice to take a break from doing school work and relax for a little while.

Class Presentations

I really enjoyed the diversity of the 5 minute presentations from our class. It kept it interesting, and I feel like I got to learn a little more about everyone. I especially liked Stacey's about her hometown of Boulder. I have never been to that part of the country before but have heard rave reviews about it so I loved getting an insider's take on it. It seems like a beautiful town with lots to offer. I also enjoyed Sal's presentation on masonry. It was something I knew very little about so it was interesting to learn more. The pictures he included of his work were amazing, it definitely shows he has a lot of skill.

My Weekend

For this week's free topic I thought I would write about my weekend since it was really good and a much needed break from my stressful week. I had a bunch of friends come down Friday night for the Virginia Tech game, so it was great to see and go out with them. I'm a part of the organization Feel Good, which is dedicated to ending world hunger. They raise money by selling grilled cheeses in exchange for donations. We had our first grilled cheese stand this Saturday at in the Greek Quad and had an awesome turn out. We raised a lot of hunger and awareness about our cause so it was great. I also had a lot of fun tailgating so despite the loss :( it was a great day. Today I've just been doing the massive amount of work that I have this week before fall break. Doesn't it always seem like all your work is due at the same time?? Other than that I'm getting really excited for our 1 day break, it'll be nice to relax even if its just for an extended weekend.

Career Journal Tips

The first article I read, http://bb.clemson.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_24492_1, was about the rise in pre-employment personality tests as hiring tools. It was surprising to me at first that so many businesses are now requiring tests before to determine who they hire. I thought after the SATs I was done with standardized tests forever but I guess not! After reading the article and thinking about it, I realized that these tests do make sense. It allows the employer to learn more about the applicant than just a resume of experiences and interview could divulge. I thought it was really interesting that one employer hired a person after taking a personality test because he thought they would get along well together. It is a smart move to hire someone your compatible with though. It ensures that there is a positive work environment, and it does make going to work everyday easier and possibly more productive when you like the people you work with.

The article How Candidates Can Make A Good First Impression by Kris Maher gave some helpful tips on things to avoid during a job interview. It mentioned obvious things like asking for a cigarette break during mid-interview, chewing gum, and making a phone call when being escorted into the office building. The piece of advice that really stood out was that the biggest problem with candidates is that they think they can go in and wing the interview. It emphasized to me the importance of preparation; knowing the company and what they do is a big factor in getting hired.

I also looked at: http://bb.clemson.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_24492_1, which was about how thank you letters can make or break your chances of getting hired. The article told of one candidate who was a shoe-in for the job, but her post- interview thank you letters were full of spelling errors (including even spelling the name of the company wrong). “Closing the deal” as the article called it is a way of establishing professionalism and increasing your chances of getting the job even if the interview did not go as well as planned. I'm really glad I read the article because I will make sure when I apply for jobs to always send out thank you letters after being interviewed...I never knew just how important they were.

In 10 Years....

My main wish is that I am happy, healthy, and thankful for my life in 10 years. I hope to have graduated from Clemson with a B.S. in Food Science, concentration in Nutrition, and minor in Chemistry. I also hope to go to graduate school back in Baltimore for Nutrition and live downtown in the Inner Harbor area with some of my friends. I want to have completed my required internship so that I could become a Registered Dietitian. I'm not sure what my first choice spot would be for this- you have to pick your top 3 choices and apply for them using a computer matching system, but I want to go somewhere different...maybe New York, Boston, California?? They usually last from 6 months-1 year so I figure it would be a great opportunity to try out a different part of the country for a little. I ultimately want to live in a brick house in Baltimore, that's where most of my family and friends are, and I want to fall in love, get married, and have at least one kid by the time I'm 30.

Web 2.0

The title of the video, “The Machine is Us/ing Us” is a clever play on words that describes the boom in the use of computers, the internet, and web 2.0. Now with just a touch of a finger we can be connected to millions of people around the world via the web. We have access not only to other people but to the information they withhold. It’s incredible to think that with one small machine we can obtain information about businesses, countries, world events, celebrity gossip, all because someone put it out there for everyone to see. In that way, the machine is us because it can contain/display our thoughts and knowledge. It is also using us because we are the ones that put the information out there, but ultimately we are just adding to the immense about of material that is contained on the machine/the web. It makes you wonder if we are actually using the information out there for us and what we are using it for. The web also seems to control us because it has become such a big part of today’s society. People today have become obsessed with the web (blogging, facebooking, instant messaging, emailing) that we often spend a great portion of our day on our computers.

Web 2.0 is therefore a great effecter of someone who is ready to enter the workforce. The person can now easily access information about jobs that they wish to apply to. They can use that information to gain knowledge of the company and judge whether it is somewhere they want to work, average salary, how the company’s stocks are doing, etc. They also have information readily obtainable to them about what jobs are available, how to set up a resume, interviewing tips, and other things that could give them an edge over people applying. Someone just starting their career in this day in age would probably be expected to know a lot about how to use the web. Almost every career and many jobs now require you to use the internet in some form- whether the company has their own website or simply just interoffice emailing. People who are technologically savvy definitely would have an advantage over people who are not as the workforce is quickly becoming web 2.0 based. So people who are already in the workforce would probably be expected to learn about the web or would be at an extreme disadvantage to their newer younger generation employees.

When the video says “we will have to rethink everything” it means we have to look at communicating with other people and the way we access our information in a different light. Businesses are able to communicate with clients around the world, meaning that their knowledge and success can easily be expanded. Also formal letters, personal visits, and conference calls are being replaced by emails, instant messages, and chat rooms. The infrastructure of businesses is becoming internet based and controlled. Because of the large amount of information that is available online, business can also obtain information about their competitors easier. The business that is able to submit proposals quicker or has more knowledge of the internet is usually the one that wins over the client. The power the internet has is so great that we have to rethink how we use it and what its purpose is in our lives.

Introduction

Hi! I'm Rachel Coury, and I'm a junior from Baltimore, MD. I love Clemson and have had so much fun here, but it did take time adjusting to such a small town atmosphere. My favorite thing about it has to be the football games, even though I'm not a huge football fan and still don't really understand the rules, game days are always a blast. My major is Food Science with a concentration in Nutrition and a minor in Chemistry. I'm planning on going to grad school because I'm not really sure what I want to do job wise yet, so why not stay in school for as long as possible? I had a pretty cool internship this summer at McCormick Spices where I worked in Product Development and got to blend spices, cook food, and participate in taste tests. Not a bad summer job right? I'm the Risk Management Chair for my sorority, Delta Zeta. I'm also a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Sigma Alpha Lambda, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and the Food Science and Nutrition Club. I've done some work with Habitat for Humanity, so I think that should help in creating their website. I love meeting new people and think that this group project will definitely be a learning experience!

Test

This is my test post.